Tiltable pouring cradle



United States Patent() sperme 'HLTABLE PUURHNG CRADLE Charles Stearns, 4123i) Foothill Blvd., Oairland, Calit. Filed Aug. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 302,354 3 Claims. (Cl. Zai-141) This invention relates to devices for supporting a fluid container and for tilting the container to pour out the duid therefrom.

An object of the present invention is to provide an `improved pouring cradle of the type described which` is economically manufactured from rod stock, which although very lightweight is durably constructed to support :relatively heavy lled containers, and which can be disform of the invention which is illustrated in the draw-` ing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood, however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to said drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a pouring `device embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan View of the structure shown in FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation view of the structure shown in FGURE 2, with a portion of the base broken away; and

FIGURE 4 is a front elevation view depicting two structures embodying the present invention disassembled and nested together for purpose of packing and shipping.

Regarding now a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is shown in FIGURES 1-3 a pouring device 11 including a base 12 and a cradle 13 pivotally mounted on the base. A container 14 shown in phantom lines in FIGURE i can be inserted into the cradle 13 for support therein, and can be pivoted with the cradle to enable the contents of the container to be poured out of its spout. ln broad terms, the base 12 includes two spaced triangular side portions each of which has a generally horizontal bottom member 16 with front and back upwardly extending leg members 17 and 1S joining together adjacent their upper ends to form the apex of the triangular side portion. Brace means, preferably crossed brace members 19 and 21, extend between the spaced back legs 13 at positions intermediate the ends thereof but suiliciently low to enable the cradle 13 to be' pivoted rearwardly over the members 19 and 21. An elongated brace member 22 is secured between the legs 17 adjacent their respective junctures with the bottom members 16. In order to support the cradle 13, hook supporting means are provided at the apex of each side portion of the base, and as shown preferably comprise upwardly opening U- shaped sockets 23 formed integrally with the legs 17 and 18. Regarding the cradle 13, there is provided an upper generally circular rim member 24, to which are secured the upper leg portions 26 of a generally U-shaped bottom member 27 which has its lower connecting portion 2S disposed generally parallel to the plane of the rim member 24. Hook portions 29 are provided adjacent the upper ends of each leg portion 25 and are adapted for insertion into and support on the sockets 23.

An important feature of the present invention relates to the particular configuration of the device 11 which Patented Aug. 17, 1965 ICC enables a plurality of such devices to be disassembled and nested together so as to occupy a relatively small space, thus minimizing packaging and shipping costs. In this regard, it will be seen that the front legs 17 of the base 12 are spaced further apart than the back legs 13, so that the side portions of the b ase 12 as best seen in FGURE 2 taper rearwardly towards one another. In this manner, a base 12' can be inserted rearwardly between the front legs of another identical base 12 until the corresponding legs of each base are disposed adjacent `one another as depicted in FIGURE 4. A third base (not shown) can be nested in the base 12 in the same manner, with additional bases then likewise being inserted and nested one after another. The leg portions 2d of the cradle 13 are also tapered downwardly towards one another as depicted in FIGURE 3, so that a cradle 13 can be inserted into a cradle 13 as shown in FIGURE 4 with additional cradles adapted to be nested in a similar manner. The cradle 13 and base 12 are dimensioned so that a plurality of cradles nested together in inverted position can bejfitted in the space enclosed by a plurality of bases nested together, as shown in FIGURE 4. Consequently, a plurality of devices 11 can. be packaged in a relatively small space, and in practice it has been found most suitable to nest together six bases and six cradles.

As regards now the details of construction of the device 11, it will be seen that the base 12, aside from the brace members 19, 21, is made from a single piece of rod stock with its ends forming the ends of the bottom members 16 adjacent the brace member 22, and with these ends being welded respectively to the corners formed by the member 22 and each of the legs 17. To assure that the hook portions Z9 are not dislodged unintentionally from the sockets 23, a pai-r `of Veshaped members 31 are secured to the base 12 in overlying closed relation to each socket 23. It is important to note that the weight or the cradle and container 'bears directly on the socket 2? which is formed structurally integral with the base legs 17 and 18, thus providing a strong and secure support for this weight. i

With respect to the cradle 13, a pair of U-shaped brace members 32 are each secured to the cradle adjacent one of the leg portions Z6 with the bottom 33 of each member 32 being secured subjacent the portion 2d, preferably by welding. The legs 34 of each member 32 extend upwardly generally parallel with said cradle legs 2e and are welded to the rim 24. Additional V-shaped brace members 36 are secured to the inner sides of each member 312 and leg 2e, and to the outer edge of the rim 2a, the brace members 32 and 36 form an important part of the cradle 13, in that they provide all the necessary structural reinforcement for the cradle yet do not present obstructions which would hamper the ability of the cradles to be nested together as described hereinabove. To accommodate containers of rectangular as well as circular cross section, four V-shaped notches 37 are spaced circumfered tially around the rim 24, with a pair of diametrically opposed notches 37 being positioned adjacent the cradle legs 25.

From the foregoing it is apparent that the pouring device 11 of the present invention is adapte-d sturdily to support various containers for tilting them to remove their contents, and which is arranged to have a plurality of such devices nested together in aclosed space to facilitate handling andicosts thereof,

What is claimed is: i

1. A tiltable cradle device of the character described comprising a base of rod stock having a pair of spaced generally triangular side portions each including a generally horizontal bottotm member with front and back upwardly angularly extending leg members integrally joining together adjacent their upper ends to form the apex o the triangle, brace means secured between said back legs at positions intermediate the ends thereof, an elongated brace member secured between said front legs adjacent the juncture thereof with their respective bottom members, hook supporting means provided adjacent said apex, said side portions being disposed with said front legs being laterally spaced further apart than said back legs whereby a plurality of said bases can be nested together by inserting one base rearwardly through the space between the front legs of another base until the corresponding legs of each base are disposed adjacent one another; and a cradle of rod stock adapted for pivotal mounting on said base including an upper generally circular rim member, a generally U-shaped bottom member having spaced leg portions secured adjacent their vupper ends to diarnetrically opposed portions of said rim whereby a plurality of cradles can be nested together by disposing one downwardly into the other; said cradle and base being dimensioned so that a plurality of cradles nested in one another can be disposed Within the interior space enclosed by a plurality of bases nested in one another.

2. A device as described in claim 1 further defined by said side portions and elongated brace member being integrally formed of a single piece of rod stock having its ends terminate at the ends of said bottom members adjacent said front legs, and said hook supporting means including an upwardly opening U-shaped socket formed in said single piece of rod stock adjacent the upper ends of said legs and an upper inverted V-shaped member se- .i cured across the top of said socket in closing relation thereto.

3. A device as described in claim 2 further deiined by said rim having formed therein four V-shaped corner j portions circumferentially spaced equally around said rim with said cradle leg portions being secured adjacent two diametrically opposed corner portions of said rim, a pair of U-shaped brace members each secured to said cradle adjacent one of the leg portions thereof with the bottom of each said U-shaped brace member being secured subjacent said bottom member and having the legs of said U-shaped brace member extend upwardly generally parallel with said cradle leg portions and secured adjacent their upper ends to said rim, said legs of said U-shaped brace member being tapered upwardly generally the same as the respectively adjacent cradle leg portion, and a pair of cross brace members each secured adjacent the inner sides of one cradle leg portion and corresponding U-shaped brace member legs and adjacent the outer side of said rim mem-ber at spaced positions thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A TILTABLE CRADE DEVICE OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING A BASE OF ROD STOCK HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED GENERALLY TRIANGULAR SIDE PORTIONS EACH INCLUDING A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL BOTTOM MEMBER WITH FRONT AND BACK UPWARDLY ANGULARLY EXTENDING LEG MEMBERS INTEGRALLY JOININT TOGETHER ADJACENT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO FORM THE APEX OF THE TRIANGLE, BRACE MEANS SECURED BETWEEN SAID BACK LEGS AT POSITIONS INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, AN ELONGATED BRACE MEMBER SECURED BETWEEN SAID FRONT LEGS ADJACENT THE JUNCTURE THEREOF WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE BOTTOM MEMBERS, HOOK SUPPORTING MEANS PROVIDED ADJACENT SAID APEX, SAID SIDE PORTIONS BEING DISPOSED WITH SAID FRONT LEGS BEING LATERALLY SPACED FURTHER APART THAN SAID BACK LEGS WHEREBY A PLURALITY OF SAID BASES CAN BE NESTED TOGETHER BY INSERTING ONE BASE REARWARDLY THROUGH THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT LEGS OF ANOTHER BASE UNTIL THE CORRESPONDING LEGS OF EACH BASE ARE DISPOSED ADJACENT ONE ANOTHER; AND A CRADLE OF ROD STOCK ADAPTED FOR PIVOTAL MOUNTING ON SAD BASE INCLUDING AN UPPER GENERALLY CIRCULAR RIM MEMBER, A GENERALLY U-SHAPED BOTTOM MEMBER HAVING SPACED LEG PORTIONS SECURED ADJACENT THEIR UPPER ENDS TO DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED PORTIONS OF SAID RIM MEMBER AND A LOWER CONNECTING PORTION EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID LEG PORTIONS AND DISPOSED GENERALLY PARALLEL TO THE PLANE OF SAID RIM MEMBER, HOOK PORTIONS BEING FORMED ADJACENT THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID LEG PORTIONS AND ADAPTED TO MOUNT REMOVABLY ON SAID HOOK SUPPORTING MEANS FOR PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID CRADLE ON SAID BASE, SAID LEG PORTIONS OF SAID CRADLE BEING TAPERED UPWARDLY WHEREBY THEY ARE SPACED FURTHER APART AT THEIR UPPER ENDS THAN AT THEIR LOWER ENDS AND WHEEBY A PLURALITY OF CRADLES CAN BE NESTED TOGETHER BY DISPOSING ONE DOWNWARDLY INTO THE OTHER; SAID CRADLE AND BASE BEING DIMENSIONED SO THAT A PLURALITY OF CRADLES NESTED IN ONE ANOTHER CAN BE DISPOSED WITHIN THE INTERIOR SPACED ENCLOSED BY A PLURALITY OF BASE NESTED IN ONE ANOTHER. 